Maasaak, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, has finally sent his letter off to Santa, and includes a copy here for the benefit of Phyllis and other Christmas elves: “Dear Santa: As you know, I have not been a ‘good little boy,’ but you have always managed to work …
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Category:Holidays
Kickass and Santa Christmas Story
Durova, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper in ignoring incredibly serious subject matter, and offering a little Christmas story: On a frosty morning in early December, Santa burst into the reindeer barn and after a hearty “Ho, Ho, Ho,” he announced, “Okay, all you antlered ruminants …
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Kickass and the Slivery Christmas Stage
Kgbo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper’s overwrought reminiscence machinery was fired up by his sister Norma’s recent mention of the “slivery oak planks,” that went to make up the stage for the country school Christmas program of their childhood. Placed across two equally slivery, long …
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“Just Like the Ones I Used to Know”: The Couch Potato’s Guide to Vintage Christmas Movies
Photo by Geoffrey Carter By Geoff Carter Well, the Christmas season is upon us in full force. The commercials are everywhere. We’ve seen that ad for the car—or Energizer Bunny, wrapped in a bow and sitting in the driveway on Christmas morning at least one hundred times. Getting ready for this holiday season, however, is going to be …
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Kickass and Santa Belief
Jon Sullivan, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper wonders if there is some way to use the universal belief in Santa Claus to at least slow down the global collapse of democracy due to dissemination of misinformation to the gullible? Perhaps in the mode of …
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Kickass and the TP Christmas Tree
Photo by Rod Long on Unsplash By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper and Phyllis recognize the importance of surprise and novelty in maintaining a relationship, but as Phyllis got ready to trim her Christmas tree over in the corner of the living-room, she posted someone’s version of a toilet-paper trimmed tree, and for …
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The Couch Potato’s Guide to a Vintage TV Christmas
“Oscar the Elf” Photo by Geoff Carter
Blackish Friday
Artwork by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter Black Friday, that orgy of rabid consumerism—a stampede sometimes as dangerous as the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona—was a bit of a disappointment this year. A number of stores did not open at four a.m. for shoppers to rampage through their aisles like a legion of Vikings; …
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Kickass and 11/25/21
Frances Brundage , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, offers the following On the gray morning of Nov. 25, 2021: Thanksgiving Day! Snow. Thanks, For Nov. 25, 2021. Nice to be part of it. See more at… The Bill Stokes Author Page
Hospitality
Jean Leon Gerome Ferris , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter “This piece was originally written in 2018 during the controversial time when the caravans from South and Central America were approaching our borders. Although that particular bit of hysteria has faded, xenophobia has not. We need to remember to appreciate, value, and take …
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Kickass and Phyllis Treatment
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper and Phyllis have begun an intense five session radiation treatment procedure at the UW Carbone Cancer Center for Phyllis that will see them traveling to various Madison locations and then in a virtual quarantine through Dec. 7. While this circumstance …
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Kickass and Veterans Day
Artwork by Michael DiMilo By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper on this Day to celebrate Veteran obsolescence; and to recognize the brutal truth that there is apparently no way to make heroes out of those who might somehow defend the country against internal ignorance and rampant misinformation. It is one thing …
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